Administrative / Biographical History

The company was first established as Mitchell & Neilson by William Neilson and James Mitchell in 1836 , financed, in large part, by William Neilson's brother, James Beaumont Neilson. In 1837 , engineering works were founded in Hydepark Street, Glasgow, Scotland, but, in about 1840 , William Neilson and James Mitchell both left the company. James B Neilson then formed a new company with Stewart Kerr, called Kerr, Neilson & Co , but it ran into financial difficulties. In 1843 , James Neilson's son, Walter Montgomerie Neilson , aged only 24, took over the running of the firm. At this point, James Mitchell returned from Liverpool, England, in order to manage the financial side of the business, becoming a partner. The new partnership was known as Neilson & Mitchell until 1855 . In 1845 , the firm had recovered enough to be able to expand, purchasing land in Finneston Street, Glasgow for a new foundry. The first locomotive built by the company for use in Britain was delivered to the Glasgow, Garnkirk & Coatbridge Railway Co , but well into the 1850s , the firm continued to be engaged in a variety of general engineering projects as well as locomotive building. Eventually this work became its speciality, and, by 1862 , demand for locomotive engines had increased to such an extent that the firm, now known as Neilson & Co , was able to lay out new, specially adapted works on a site in Springburn, Glasgow, which was known as the Hyde Park Locomotive works. The name of the firm was changed, yet again, to Neilson, Reid & Co , when, on the retirement of Walter Montgomerie Neilson in 1876 , James Reid became sole partner.

James Reid had a long association with the company. During the 1850s , he had been Neilson's works manager, but he had been replaced by the German born, Henry Dubs ( 1816-1876 ), who had the experience with locomotives that Reid lacked at that time. Reid went to Manchester to work for Sharp, Stewart & Co , locomotive builders, but returned to Glasgow, to be Neilson's managing partner after the departure of Henry Dubs from the firm to set up his own company in 1864 . There was a final breach in the relationship between Reid and Neilson, however, when Neilson gave Reid opportunity to buy him out of the firm. Neilson was aggrieved at the treatment he received from Reid, which deprived him, as he saw it, of his rightful share in the business. Since only Neilson's account of events survives it is difficult to make a final judgement on the situation. In 1893 , James Reid's four sons became partners, the eldest son, Hugh Reid, becoming senior partner on his father's death.

Although the demand for locomotive engines continued, Neilson, Reid & Co had some strong local competitors in the shape of Dubs & Co and Sharp, Stewart & Co , a firm which had moved its Atlas works to Glasgow from Manchester in 1888. Hugh Reid became convinced of the advantages of industrial concentration and helped to negotiate the amalgamation of Neilson, Reid & Co with its major Glasgow competitors, Sharp, Stewart & Co and Dubs & Co in 1903 . The resulting limited company was known as the North British Locomotive Co Ltd and was the biggest locomotive builder in Europe at the time, with 60 acres of works and up to 7,570 employees. Although its first chairman was William Lorimer, from Dubs & Co , Hugh Reid became deputy chairman and chief managing director with overall responsibility for the organisation and management of the new company.

Arrangement

This material is arranged into five series as described in the scope and content note

Conditions Governing Access

Open

Acquisition Information

Despoit : private deposit : (GB 248 UGD 10/5/4 only)

Gift : North British Locomotive Co Ltd, Glasgow : prior to 1966

Other Finding Aids

Digital file level list available in searchroom.

Manual file level list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)1632) and London (NRA10858)

Alternative Form Available

No known copies

Conditions Governing Use

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University Archivist